1. Technical Field
This document relates to methods and materials involved in treating endometrial cancer. For example, this document provides methods and materials for identifying a female mammal as having endometrial cancer and surgically removing at least the uterus of the female.
2. Background Information
Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer currently afflicting an estimated 600,000 women in the U.S. alone, with 49,000 new cases identified and 8,000 deaths in 2013. Genetic risk factors, such as hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, explain less than 5% of all endometrial cancer cases (Lancaster et al., Gynecol. Oncol., 107(2):159-162 (2007) and Kwon et al., J. Clin. Oncol., 29(16):2247-2252 (2011)). Multiple non-genetic risk factors for endometrial cancer exist. These risk factors can be broadly categorized into those linked to hormonal changes, such as obesity and hormone therapy, and those linked to chronic inflammation, such as diabetes and aging (Smith et al., Cancer J. Clinicians, 51(1):38-75 (2001)).